5 Yoga-Inspired Moves To Strengthen Your Joints

My lack of understanding of the true nature of yoga led me down an inevitable path toward injury. Instead of paying attention to the inside form of each posture, I would set up the pose, then physically and mentally “check out.” Without the muscular energy needed to support my body through gravity, I hung on my joints until my ligaments were too overstretched to perform their job.

What was missing in my practice was balance. My flexibility greatly outweighed my strength, and core conditioning was essential. It was then that I began practicing Pilates, which taught me about my body’s mechanics, its habits, and its incredible capacity to change. I began to heal my injuries by shifting my focus away from mobility and toward stability.